Arthur Bigsworth
Encyclopedia
Air Commodore
Arthur Wellesley Bigsworth CMG
,
DSO
and bar
, AFC
, (27 March 1885 - 24 February 1961) was a pioneer aviator
who had a distinguished military career in the service of the British
armed forces.
as a Sub-Lieutenant
, being promoted to Lieutenant
on 19 January 1913. He attended the first course at the Central Flying School
, gaining his Aviator's Certicate no. 396 on 21 January 1913. He transferred to the Royal Navy
at this rank with effect from 1 April 1913, achieving the rank of Wing Commander
in the Royal Naval Air Service
on 31 December 1916. On 1 April 1918 he was appointed Officer Commanding 10 Group; a year later he was awarded a permanent commission as a Lieutenant Colonel
and was appointed Staff Officer First Class (Air) in Headquarters, Mediterranean District. At this point Bigsworth was awarded a Permanent Commission with the RAF and was removed from the Navy Lists while remaining in his post with HQ Mediterranean District, later HQ Mediterranean Group in 1920. After almost three years as Officer Commanding, Armament and Gunnery School at Eastchurch
, he returned to the Mediterranean as Air Officer Commanding (AOC), HQ RAF Mediterranean, in which capacity he was appointed as a member of the Nominated Council of Malta. In 1925 he returned to the UK, first to RAF Leuchars
(1925), then as Senior Air Staff Office (SASO), HQ Coastal Area (1928), AOC No 10 Group and finally, until his retirement in September 1935, as Director of Equipment at the Air Ministry.
Immediately following his retirement from active service, Bigsworth was appointed to the Directorate of Aeronautical Production and in 1939 was for a short time AOC No 42 (Maintenance) Group.
Arthur Wellesley Bigsworth died on 24 Feb 1961.
It has been claimed that W. E. Johns
based some aspects of his fictional hero Biggles
(surname Bigglesworth) on the real-life Bigsworth, with whom he had worked at the Air Ministry.
above Zeppelin
LZ39 over Ostend
and drop four 20 lb bombs on its envelope, causing considerable damage. LZ39 managed to return to its base, despite damage to five of its gasbag
s For this feat Bigsworth was awarded the D.S.O.
. This was the first night-time attack on a Zeppelin.
On 26 August 1915, Bigsworth was reconnoitering the sea off Ostend in his Farman F.27 when he spotted German submarine, U-14
, on the surface and sank it. The citation for the bar
to his D.S.O. stated: "Squadron-Commander Bigsworth was under heavy fire from the shore batteries and from the submarine whilst manoeuvring for position. Nevertheless, displaying great coolness, he descended to 500 feet, and after several attempts was able to get a good line for dropping the bombs with full effect." This was the first ever confirmed airborne 'kill' on a submarine.
Major Bigsworth was further "Mentioned in Despatches and Reports for Distinguished Services" on 3 June 1918.
Lt.-Col. (Acting Colonel) Bigsworth was appointed a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. John (CMG
), followed on 5 June 1919 by the award of the Air Force Cross (AFC)
.
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Arthur Wellesley Bigsworth CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
,
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
and bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
, (27 March 1885 - 24 February 1961) was a pioneer aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
who had a distinguished military career in the service of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
armed forces.
Early life
Arthur Wellesley Bigsworth was born on 27 March 1885, the son of Arthur Wellesley Bigsworth Sr and Kate Box.Career
Bigsworth received training as a Mercantile Marine officer, later joining the Royal Naval ReserveRoyal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
as a Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
, being promoted to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on 19 January 1913. He attended the first course at the Central Flying School
Central Flying School
The Central Flying School is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 it is the longest existing flying training school.-History:...
, gaining his Aviator's Certicate no. 396 on 21 January 1913. He transferred to the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
at this rank with effect from 1 April 1913, achieving the rank of Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
in the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
on 31 December 1916. On 1 April 1918 he was appointed Officer Commanding 10 Group; a year later he was awarded a permanent commission as a Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and was appointed Staff Officer First Class (Air) in Headquarters, Mediterranean District. At this point Bigsworth was awarded a Permanent Commission with the RAF and was removed from the Navy Lists while remaining in his post with HQ Mediterranean District, later HQ Mediterranean Group in 1920. After almost three years as Officer Commanding, Armament and Gunnery School at Eastchurch
Eastchurch
Eastchurch is a village on the Isle of Sheppey, in the English county of Kent, two miles east of Minster.The village website claims "... it has a history steeped in stories of piracy and smugglers".- Aviation history :...
, he returned to the Mediterranean as Air Officer Commanding (AOC), HQ RAF Mediterranean, in which capacity he was appointed as a member of the Nominated Council of Malta. In 1925 he returned to the UK, first to RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
(1925), then as Senior Air Staff Office (SASO), HQ Coastal Area (1928), AOC No 10 Group and finally, until his retirement in September 1935, as Director of Equipment at the Air Ministry.
Immediately following his retirement from active service, Bigsworth was appointed to the Directorate of Aeronautical Production and in 1939 was for a short time AOC No 42 (Maintenance) Group.
Arthur Wellesley Bigsworth died on 24 Feb 1961.
It has been claimed that W. E. Johns
W. E. Johns
William Earl Johns was an English pilot and writer of adventure stories, usually written under the name Captain W. E. Johns. He is best remembered as the creator of the ace pilot and adventurer Biggles.-Early life:...
based some aspects of his fictional hero Biggles
Biggles
"Biggles" , a pilot and adventurer, is the title character and main hero of the Biggles series of youth-oriented adventure books written by W. E. Johns....
(surname Bigglesworth) on the real-life Bigsworth, with whom he had worked at the Air Ministry.
Medals and Honours
Bigsworth had already experimented with night flying, using two 4V lamps attached to his aircraft and no doubt called on this experience on 17 May 1915, when he managed to climb his Avro 504Avro 504
The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the War totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in World War I, in any military capacity, during...
above Zeppelin
Zeppelin
A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893. His plans were reviewed by committee in 1894 and patented in the United States on 14 March 1899...
LZ39 over Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
and drop four 20 lb bombs on its envelope, causing considerable damage. LZ39 managed to return to its base, despite damage to five of its gasbag
Ballonet
A Ballonet is a air-filled flexible container that is located inside the envelope of a non-rigid or semi-rigid airship. Such an airship can have one or more ballonets, commonly one fore and one aft...
s For this feat Bigsworth was awarded the D.S.O.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
. This was the first night-time attack on a Zeppelin.
On 26 August 1915, Bigsworth was reconnoitering the sea off Ostend in his Farman F.27 when he spotted German submarine, U-14
SM U-14 (Germany)
SM U-14 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.U-14 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic....
, on the surface and sank it. The citation for the bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
to his D.S.O. stated: "Squadron-Commander Bigsworth was under heavy fire from the shore batteries and from the submarine whilst manoeuvring for position. Nevertheless, displaying great coolness, he descended to 500 feet, and after several attempts was able to get a good line for dropping the bombs with full effect." This was the first ever confirmed airborne 'kill' on a submarine.
Major Bigsworth was further "Mentioned in Despatches and Reports for Distinguished Services" on 3 June 1918.
Lt.-Col. (Acting Colonel) Bigsworth was appointed a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. John (CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
), followed on 5 June 1919 by the award of the Air Force Cross (AFC)
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
.